Giving Back to Our Communities

Fidelis Care Presents Brady Market with $5,000 Food Insecurity Grant

In observance of National Nutrition Month, Fidelis Care presented a $5,000 grant to support Brady Market’s programs to combat food insecurity in the Syracuse region. The grant is part of $315,000 in donations by Fidelis Care to nonprofit organizations on the front lines of fighting hunger across New York State. Food insecurity impacts about one in 10 New York households.

“Nutrition is healthcare,” said Fidelis Care Sales and Marketing Director Shannon Lombardo. “Fidelis Care is committed to promoting health and well-being in Syracuse and communities across New York State. That begins by partnering with organizations like Brady Market to help families and individuals gain access to healthy, nutritious foods.”

Brady Market in Syracuse, operated by not-for-profit Brady Social Enterprises, Inc., is a grocery store with retail and wholesale operations, deli and catering, job training, and wraparound support services. It was inspired by the 70-plus year history of Brady Faith Center’s engagement with generations of individuals and families in some of the community’s most impoverished neighborhoods.

“Brady Market is very grateful for this Fidelis Care grant,” said Brady Faith Center Director Kevin Frank. “We absolutely can’t do what we do without wonderful partners. For many who live in the community, Brady Market is the only place to get fresh fruits and vegetables. We plan to use the Fidelis Care funding to take the lead in collaborating with 20 neighborhood organizations to deliver meals for 220 families. One of the wonderful things about this program is that our partner organizations know who needs food support the most. It’s just one of the ways that we are more than a market in this community.”

Lombardo added, “We know that one meal is not going to solve a family’s food insecurity, but these grants give us an opportunity to connect people with agencies and organizations like Brady Market to help them find the resources they need for long-term solutions.”

Fidelis Care takes pride in supporting the vital work of Brady Market and the other food insecurity grant recipients across New York State because no one should suffer from hunger. Click here to see the full list of Fidelis Care food insecurity grant recipient organizations.

Screener Program Provides Support to Families Impacted by Social Determinants of Health

SDoH-chart

Fidelis Care’s innovative SDoH screener program was launched two years ago as a grassroots health equity initiative to address conditions in the environments where people are born, live, work, and play that affect their health, well-being, and quality of life. Social Determinants of Health can affect a wide range of health risks and outcomes – particularly among vulnerable populations and in underserved areas.

The screener enables trained Fidelis Care representatives to assess an individual’s immediate needs and challenges related to SDoH through a brief series of questions covering areas such as access to transportation, food, and secure and safe housing. More than 450,000 Fidelis Care members have participated to date.

Click here to learn more about the different Social Determinants of Health and find available resources.

Learn how Fidelis Care impacts the communities we are privileged to serve.

More News:

Fidelis Care Teams Up with New York City Football Club on 'Free Football for All' Program

4/30/2021 • Posted by Fidelis Care in Children's Health, Corporate News, Health and Wellness, HR Events, In The Community

Goal is to reach 4,000 children across New York City, Long Island, and lower Hudson Valley with free soccer games, team building, leadership skills development

April 28, 2021 (Long Island City, NY) – Fidelis Care, a health plan serving more than 2.3 million members across New York State is proud to announce its sponsorship of “Free Football for All,” a free youth soccer program created by the New York City Football Club (NYCFC) and the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association. From the five NYC boroughs, to Long Island, and the lower Hudson Valley, Free Football for All has a goal of reaching up to 4,000 children between the ages of 7-14 with the opportunity to play soccer and learn teamwork and leadership skills in safe, outdoor settings – all at no cost for families.

"Fidelis Care is committed to supporting the communities we serve, and we understand how important it is for kids to play, learn and grow together" said Pam Hassen, Chief Member Engagement Officer. "We’re excited to work with the New York City Football Club on this unique program, and believe Free Football for All is a positive and engaging way to connect with local families and promote the importance of physical activity for children.”

In addition to soccer skills, the program focuses on sportsmanship, leadership, creativity, and developing a love for the game. The format is street-style soccer overseen by NYCFC Youth Program coaches. Participating players engage in 3 vs. 3, 4 vs. 4, and 5 vs. 5 games geared toward empowering their individuality while also encouraging team-building and problem-solving.

"New York City Football Club is proud to work with great partners like Fidelis Care to create a new youth soccer program that will make the game more accessible and free-of-charge, foster an environment of continuous play, and teach players invaluable life sessions,” said Brian Walsh, Director of Youth Programs at NYCFC. “We are excited to see how Free Football for All will impact so many young players and will enable them to take ownership of their play while making leadership decisions.”

Online registration is required. The schedule and location of upcoming Free Football for All games is announced each week via the NYCFC social media platforms and website. To find out more and to register, visit NYCFC.com/freefootball.

NYCFC Youth Programs works with local and state authorities to create a safe playing environment for all players, coaches, administrators and parents. Safety guidelines are available here: Click Here.

Fidelis Care Representatives will be available at select games to provide parents with information about quality, affordable health insurance and answer any questions they may have.

About New York City Football Club:
New York City Football Club (NYCFC) is an American professional soccer team that competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) in the Eastern Conference of the League. It was announced as the League's 20th franchise on May 21, 2013 and is the first and only MLS Club located within the five boroughs of New York City. NYCFC kicked off its inaugural MLS season in March 2015 and is majority owned by City Football Group (CFG). In 2019, the Club finished top of the Eastern Conference and qualified for the 2020 Concacaf Champions League for the first time in franchise history. NYCFC’s Academy features teams from the U-12 to U-19 age groups and became the first Academy in the country to win back-to-back national titles at the U-19 level. NYCFC proudly supports City in the Community (CITC) foundation to use the power of soccer to uplift communities; one of the programs, New York City Soccer Initiative (NYCSI) is a first-of-its-kind public-private community partnership to open 50 mini-soccer pitches in underserved NYC neighborhoods in five years.

Website: NYCFC.com | Twitter: @NYCFC | Instagram: @NYCFC | Hashtags: #NYCFC | Facebook.com/NewYorkCityFC

About Fidelis Care:
Fidelis Care is a mission-driven health plan offering quality, affordable coverage for children and adults of all ages and at all stages of life. With more than 2.3 million members statewide, Fidelis Care believes that all New Yorkers should have access to affordable, quality health insurance. Follow us on Twitter at @fideliscare, Instagram at @fideliscare, and on Facebook at facebook.com/fideliscare. For more information, call Fidelis Care at 1-888-FIDELIS (1-888-343-3547) or visit fideliscare.org.

Contact: MediaInquiries@fideliscare.org